


The Ink Monster

by Muscarie



Category: Far Cry (Video Games), Far Cry 3
Genre: Modern AU, Multi, Whodunnit, horror movie type rewrite
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-07-23 18:22:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16164335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muscarie/pseuds/Muscarie
Summary: A group of privileged kids on a gap year in the tropics. An impromptu visit to a local island turns into a nightmare, when the senior gym instructor turns out to be a pirate, and everyone starts disappearing one by one. Is it Vaas and his crew murdering them all, or is there something much worse lurking in the jungle?





	1. Prologue: #wcw

**Author's Note:**

> Look at all my unfinished works. Must be time to start another one.
> 
> So. This is AU, and it is meant to read like a horror film.
> 
> This is written in the present days, so they all have social media. They're all kind of designed to be annoying, even the Final Girl, because personally I always dislike the characters in horror films and only come to like them when they start changing throughout the film.
> 
> Not making any profit from anything, don't own anything other than Jane.

"OK internet peoples, welcome to my vlog." 

The shaky image makes you feel dizzy, and when it stills for a moment you see Vaas' familiar profile, Mohawked and scarred.

"We're here today to do some stretching. We need to get stretched so we can have hot sweaty senior sex."

He's holding the phone up, walking on the wooden planks of the area they call the canopy, a sort of wooden terrace overlooking the beach and shaded by the trees. He's walking amongst a group of very elderly people, all dressed in bright spandex.

"Let's get those endorphins going. Let's get those farts out, it's ok."

He slaps an elder man's ass ("don't get me wrong, Rupert, I am sexually harassing you") then reaches a portable speaker and turns it on, "I'm sexy and I know it" blaring across the peaceful beach and through the phone.

Jane turns her volume down. 

Vaas sets the phone on top of the speaker and it films him go over to the front and start doing aggressive pelvic thrusts whilst yelling at his elderly audience to get it on, motherfuckers, get them hips poppin'. The motherfuckers do, exchanging bemused and amused looks. They just love Vaas' antics. No idea why, maybe it's the sheer outrageousness, but they just love it.

Jane swipes right, shaking her head. 

The next story to pop up on her feed is Liza's. 

A flattering still shot of the girl in her bikini, sitting at a table and sipping some fresh juice, looking out onto the sunrise. Jane taps. The next still is a view of Liza's breakfast, quinoa and fruit and whatever else influential girls eat.

Next story is Daisy, filming the beautiful beach. She's added a note that reads "morning jog - could be worse!".

Then it's all last night's stuff, starting with Jason's boomerang selfies inside the Raz, a local club, followed by Keith's daily pouty gym selfies.

Jane puts her phone down, stretches her arms in the air, the wooden chair creaking as she does so. In front of her on the desk is a copy of The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien (a pseudonym), the book she's chosen to write her dissertation about during her gap year. Who the hell writes dissertations during gap years? Jane does, because Jane is boring, and Jane wants to be ready for uni, and Jane actually really likes reading books and writing about them. Yes, it's sad, she's aware of it. Everyone is aware of how sad that is.

On the plus side, it gives her an excuse not to go jogging with Daisy, and not to go out for breakfast with Liza. Daisy's nice but she is insanely fit, and being out with Liza means you become her photographer, which never fails to make Jane feel incredibly inadequate.

So, dissertation it is. Jane takes another look at Liza's breakfast - there are at least six different elements to it and Jane can only name three. She grabs her bowl of chocolate ultra processed cereals and finishes it all before pouring herself another bowl. Sometimes, she thinks, sometimes when I make myself some pancakes I put some fruit with it. Well, one fruit. But I cut it up fancy...

"Hey!"

Jane jumps as Daisy, all glorious and glowy, enters their shared bungalow.

"You're ready? I'm gonna hit the shower then I'll be two seconds."

"Good jog?"

"Amazing! Really helps with the hangover. Did you have a good night last night?"

"Yeah, I just... Just watched a film."

"Cool. Liza out?"

"She's gone early, for breakfast."

"She'll be taking sexy selfies. Jason was so drunk last night! Didn't text her once."

 

When Daisy is ready, the two of them make their way to the resort that's employing them. They're on a working holiday visa, Jane working as a waitress, Daisy helping the local turtle rescue centre. There's a good few of them working and living on the island, most of them students on gap years, most of them Americans. Jane is the only Brit. Vaas is Mexican. Apparently.

Rook offers everything anyone might want from an all inclusive luxury establishment on a tropical island. There's a gym, fitness sessions, senior fitness sessions, daily excursions, room service, quiet cocktails bars, loud tequila bars, a couple clubs, and a movie night. The only catch is that most staff are temporary, but most of the clientele are American and British so it actually kind of makes them feel secure to be served by their fellow countrymen. 

Jane changes into her waitressing uniform, and starts her shift with the terrace, the one overlooking the canopy where Vaas does his senior fitness sessions. Keith and Oliver are on the beach, placing long chairs and parasols, clearing seaweed. Vincent must already be in the kitchens. No sign of Jason.

"No sign of Jason," sighs Liza, as she passes Jane with napkins ready.

"No." Jane takes a look at Liza's sad expression. "You ok?"

"Yeah." Liza rubs a slender hand over her slender neck. "Just worried about him. Think he had a bit too much last night. Again. This island isn't doing him any good."

Jane smiles sympathetically, doesn't say that maybe all it is is that Jason is a bit of a douche.

A high pitched, demented 'WHOOOOO' rings from the canopy, where Vaas is starting another senior fitness session. His morning class is so popular he now does two in a row.  
Both girls look up to see him thrusting maniacally whilst urging the elderly on and shouting the occasional profanity at them.

"God, he's... loud." Says Liza, an expression of disgust and bewilderment on her pretty face.

"And it's way too early for this," Jason joins them, pulls Liza to him. "You ok, girls?"

"Morning," Jane says, just as Liza opts for the more American "hey".

Too Original by Major Lazer blasts across to them from the canopy.

"Jesus Christ." Jason shakes his head. "What a douche. Totally hate that guy. Did you guys know he was actually pole dancing, last night?"

Liza and Jane raise an eyebrow each.

"Yeah, seriously. Actually pole dancing. Right there in the middle of the club."

"Jesus," comments Liza.

"Was he any good at it?" Jane asks, making Liza chuckle.

"Just...gross."

Jane smirks at Jason's fragile masculinity, then spots their manager peering at them from inside the restaurant and quickly gets herself into work.

*

"Are the shrimps organic?" The lady asks.

"All our seafood is fresh and captured on the day - local fishermen go out every morning before dawn and return with all the seafood we then serve in the resort."

"But are they organic?"

"They are."

"Can you prove it?"

"Pardon?"

"I once stayed at that other resort, what was it called, John? Do you know the one on the east side? Oh I had a dippy tummy all night after those shrimps...!"

"Our shrimps are fresh and organic, I guarantee you. But we do offer other sorts of seafood if you'd prefer, there's octopus and -"

"But I want the shrimps."

Jane's eye catches Vaas looking at her from over there, near the beach. He's smoking. When he sees her looking at him looking at her, he waves, and Jane responds with a quick, tight, stiff smile before turning her full attention back to the annoying Brits.

"What sauces do you do? For the shrimps."

"We do chilli sauce, marinera, Rook special..."

"What's in the chilli sauce?"

"There's uh...chilli, and uh..." 

As she looks up to the beach for inspiration, Jane catches Vaas holding his phone up, pointed in her direction. Is he taking a picture? Why would he take a picture? Is he taking a picture? Is he taking picture of her? Why?? 

"...sauce?" Jane finishes, before looking back at the non impressed Brits.

*

"Maybe he was taking a selfie," Daisy says, as the three girls walk on home that evening. 

The sun has set, leaving the beach illuminated by golden lights coming from the resort. Here and there, music starts playing, and the younger guests come out, looking for a party.

"Yeah. It must have been a selfie." Jane nods at herself.

"Definitely." Liza comments absentmindedly, whilst flicking through her phone. She's got quite a large numbers of followers, and is openly looking to make a career out of it. "Oh my god, don't tell me Jason is getting another tattoo!"

"Is he?"

"He's just posted a picture of some drawing, tribal type, a shark or something, caption says 'tattoo goals'..."

Jane shakes her head, trying extremely hard not to be the judgmental, prejudiced, boring upper middle class British girl she was raised to be.

Liza sighs.

"I just wish he'd go home now, to be honest. Wish I hadn't asked him to come on this gap year."

"Grant says Jason just needs more time to mature," says Daisy. "Though I bet he could talk him out of those stupid tattoos."

"I just don't recognise him anymore... And since he's met that Citra chick..."

Citra is a local woman, and the tattoo artist behind the black lines now decorating Jason's arm. Jane once again forces herself not to sound bitter and harsh by pointing out that Jason would probably be happy to get a pair of balls tattooed on his forehead if it meant he got to get in Citra's pants.

"Oh my god," Liza suddenly exclaims, stopping dead in her tracks. "Oh my god, you guys!"

"What?"

"Oh my god."

"What? Just spit it out!" Daisy laughs.

"Jane, you need to see this."

Liza turns her phone to them, and Jane sees it. It's a picture of her, in her uniform, standing notepad in hand and looking up ahead, lost in thoughts. Thinking of how to explain what goes into making chilli sauce. Coming up with 'chilli' and 'sauce'. The caption reads: #womancrushwednesday. Then there's a heart emoji, and two flames emojis.

Vaas posted it.

Jane's cheeks heat up, all the way down to her tongue. 

"Oh my god," repeats Liza, and Daisy laughs. "I would not want to be you right now!"


	2. Airplane!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out Vaas and Plain Jane have the same movie references. Will that be enough to save her life in the long run? Not sure yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading... She writes, hoping someone actually reads.
> 
> It's all happy and jolly now, but sh** hits the fan in about a chapter and a half.

Vaas is older than them. Not mega old, but older. More like 30 than 20. He's probably of a similar age to Grant, Jason's older brother.

He's...strange. Bonkers, to be more exact.

He's got a massive, ugly scar across his entire skull, all the way to his eyebrow. Jason often says that maybe whatever happened there left him brain damaged, and Jane has secretly had the same thought. Hes clearly got a wide collection of Hawaiian shirts, and wears his hair in a Mohawk. He drinks beer, rum and tequila, smokes anything from cigarette to joint as well as the occasional cigar.

He's got no sense of shame, is loud, doesn't care about personal space, and, apparently, he can pole dance. He speaks English with an accent, swears a lot, and somehow manages to do this without offending the upper middle class elderly westerners who attend his fitness classes. Oh yeah, and he's ripped.

There's something about him that unsettles Jane, makes her uneasy. It goes beyond the fact that they are complete opposites, and that confident people tend to cause Jane to clam up. It's more than that. She cannot quite put her finger on it, but there's something intimidating about him, beyond his loudness, some sort of unpredictability, of...savage-ness?

Jane shakes her head.

"Are you following him?" Asks Liza.

"What?"

"On there," Liza shakes her phone.

"Yeah."

"And does he ever like your pictures?"

"He doesn't follow me."

"Seriously?"

Daisy and Liza frown at her in such bewilderment, that Jane reluctantly admits: "he's requested it ages ago, but I didn't know him at all, I'd just arrived and I'd literally just got like a two word introduction to the rest of the staff, and I never accepted the request..."

"Accept it now," commands Daisy.

"What?"

"Oh my god yeah she's right, accept it now." Liza said. "If he immediately starts liking your pics we'll know he's in love." 

Daisy and Liza burst out laughing, then start chanting 'do it, do it, do it' until Jane pulls out her phone and complies.

"Won't it look like I'm interested?" She reflects, as she taps the accept request button.

"Probably," guffaws Liza.

"What if he slides in the DMs?" Cackles Daisy, and Jane can't help laughing along with the other two.

She's not someone who gets pursued. But when she does, trust her to attract the weirdest guy around.

Ping.

Oh.

Ping. Ping.

They've all stopped laughing, and stare at the phone.

He's liking pictures.

"Is he liking pictures?"

Ping.

"Which ones??"

Ping, ping, ping.

"All the ones I'm on, I think."

"Jesus."

Ping.

"What's that?"

"A message."

"A DM??!"

"What does it say?"

"Just says... 'Hello'."

*

Jane until she is able to retreat to the safety of her own bed, phone on silent, before looking at her messages again.

Hello.

The message is still there.

Of course it's still there.

Should she reply? Should she leave it? Does she look like a stuck up bitch if she ignores it? Maybe he just wants to be friendly...

She types: 'hi'

Three dots appear on the screen, followed by another message: 'hello'

Jane raises an eyebrow at her screen.

'?'

'Hello,' Vaas types again, followed by a gif of Lionel Ritchie. 'Is it meat you looking for?'

Jane's eyes go wide as saucers, eyebrows having by now retreated into her hairline, as her mind automatically selects the raciest potential meaning of that question. But then, Vaas astonishes her one more time by sending a selfie, posing in front of a barbecue on the beach, moon in the background.

Jane can hear the music from here. Rook Resort is having its weekly beach barbecue. 

Is he asking her out? Is he being friendly? How does she say no without sounding antisocial? Should she go? But she's already wiped her makeup off... No, she's not going to go. He is funny though. Good pick up line.

She sends him a gif from My Big Fat Greek Wedding and types 'I don't eat no meat'.

'DON'T EAT NO MEAT' he types back instantly. 'It's ok, I make lamb.'

He sends a picture of himself, looking exaggeratingly pleased, holding up a plastic plates with small ribs on it.

Jane lets out a quiet laugh, impressed that he knew the reference. Maybe he watches a lot of films.

Wincing at her own awkwardness, Jane types back: 'no thanks, ready for bed. Looks good though. Enjoy' and, after a second's hesitation, she adds: 'night night'. She groans at how crap that sounds.

'Night, nena.' 

Her thumbs fly as she googles the meaning of that word.

Jane snorts. Baby girl?! What on earth? Ok, that definitely must mean he's interested. And sod that, she's not into weird men, no matter how good they are at pole dancing and making the elderly sweat. Not even if they know My Big Fat Greek Wedding. 

He probably messages every single woman he meets. She'll have to ask Daisy and Liza. 

Or maybe he just goes after insecure, short, fat little stuck up Brits.

From now on, Jane decides, she's going to keep her distance. Best.

*

Once when she was in secondary school, a funny guy, the type to completely change the atmosphere of a room by walking in it, the type teachers either hated or adored, suddenly started showing a romantic interest in Jane. 

Jane was a bit plump, and she did not wear make up or style her hair, and she preferred the uniform trousers to the skirt. A few kids were convinced she'd turn out gay. Gay for the PE teacher. Which was weird, because Jane was crap at PE, and the PE teacher was absolutely pulling her hair out trying to get Jane to show any hint of coordination whatsoever. Anyway, that funny boy suddenly started texting her, charming her, and Jane loved it, until one day someone told her that he was only doing all that so she'd do his homework for him. He also had a bet going on with his mates that he'd get to see her boobs. Jane's breasts had always been bigger than her peers'. 

Jane had been heartbroken.

The same thing happened again during the first year of university, when yet another cool boy started showing interest. Jane was inclined to trust it, this time, because she felt she'd cleaned up her act, wearing make up, losing a few pounds, actually trying skinny jeans... But very quickly into the flirtatious texts, the guy had started asking for her notes, because he'd been out partying all night and missed the lecture, you know how it is babes.

So, needless to say, Vaas's apparent interest lands in a place of pathological mistrust.

 

Jane gets to work the next day and hears Vaas calling her name from the canopy. She waves back, but quickly turns away and makes a point not to look at him again all day. He's too old for her, anyway.

"He's not that old," Liza comments on the next Saturday night, during the beach party.

"Too old, though. Older."

"He's what, 28, 29? And you're what, 20?"

"22."

"That's not too bad."

"Grant is 32," provides Daisy, "I'm 25."

Jane nods, then changes topic.

"Grant is coming soon, isn't he? Is it on the 25th?"

"Two more weeks, yes," Daisy sighs dramatically. 

"Jason's little brother is coming too," Liza says from behind her phone. "Riley."

Jason comes in with their drinks and spills two shots as he lands his tray.

"You're talking about my brother?"

"Just saying they're coming soon," Daisy shouts, over the music. "Jane is trying to change topic."

"Oh yeah? What's the topic?"

"Vaas. He likes her."

"He's a fucking creep." Jason says immediately. "Let me know if he's bothering you, Jane."

"Here we go," Daisy rolls her eyes.

"He's a fucking weirdo!"

"That he is," Liza says, "he's always given me the creeps. Don't know why."

"It's the scar, for me," says Vincent, "I mean, how do you even get a scar like that? Can't be normal." Vincent knocks his beer back and accidentally splashes a bit on his glasses. Jane tries not to focus on that tiny little spot on there. "But, he actually does know the place well. Told him I was into snorkelling and he came up with these new, apparently untouched spots around one of the other islands, sounded great. Said he'd show me whenever I want. Said I could bring friends if I wanted."

"Maybe he's into Vincent," Jane jokes, but no one hears her, except Vincent, who laughs.

Her phone vibrates in her pocket and she looks to see a DM from Vaas himself. She opens it under the table.

'Hey nena'

Jane's had two beers, and she replies: 'what's up'

'How you doing?'

'Good, you?'

'You know it's movie night tomorrow'

Jane doesn't say anything. Is he going to ask her out?

'They playing...'

He doesn't add anything for a moment, then puts: 'you know what I'll give you a clue' . He types for a while, and Jane keeps glancing back down at her phone, waiting to see what he'll come up with next. 'It was in that moment I first realised Elaine had doubts about our relationship. And that as much as anything else is what led to my drinking problem.'

The smile that breaks Jane's face is wide and beaming. 

'Surely you can't be serious' she replies.

'I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.'

Jane stifles a laugh, but a quick look at Daisy and the others confirms to her that they haven't noticed anything, too engrossed in their own conversation.

'Airplane' she types. 'Love it.'

'Maybe see you there then, nena'

He sends her a kissing emoji, which has Jane shaking her head and putting her phone away.

She focuses back onto everyone there, Liza on her phone, Daisy and the boys laughing.

"Seriously though, guys," Jason is saying, "we need to think of something fun to do with my brothers. Something special."

About three drinks later, someone mentions skydiving, and everyone screams yes. Including Jane, who, as soon as the alcohol will have cleared from her system, will think of an excuse not to go flipping skydiving. I mean, honestly. Skydiving. What the hell.

Another couple drinks, and Jane is just very happy, laughing at anything, daring anything. At some point Vincent has gone to the toilet and not returned.

"Where's Vincent?" Jane slurs.

"You missing him?" Daisy slurs back, provoking a cackle from Liza.

"I just-I'm just wondering-"

"He likes you," Oliver buts in, nearly collapsing onto the small table as he returns with half a beer, the other half dripping down his top. They only see Oliver when they're out, because he doesn't work. He's on gap year from all the gap years he takes at home. His parents are rich. "Thinks you look hot, but also that you've got a good personality." 

Jane shakes her hands and her face at the eruption of 'oooo' and 'heeeeeyyyyy' that welcome Oliver's revelation. One of her hands knocks Oliver's beer over.

"She likes him back," Liza says. "You must, he's totally your type!"

"My-" hiccup, "type?"

"Yeah. Studious type. Glasses type."

"Boring type," Oliver says, using the world's tiniest napkin to sponge up the rest of his beer.

"No no no no,"Jane declares. She downs her own already finished beer. "I'm not into that type. I like the fun type. I like-I like-" her hands move around, trying to speak for her. "I like the different type."

"Like who?" 

Liza's phone is up and turned towards Jane. Jane points at it and looks the camera in the eye.

"Like Vaas." Everyone lets out drunk, incredulous laughs. "I think Vaas is really hot." Hiccup. "I know you all think he's weird, but I totally fancy that. He's well hot." Hiccup, swallows back down whatever was about to come up. "I'd tap that. I'd let him have it. Whatever 'it' is. Totally." Hiccup. "God, I have to pee."

Jane tries to get off her stool for a dramatic exit combined with a trip to the toilet, but she falls, provoking even more hilarity, and the next clear memory will be waking up the next day with a banging headache, and a lot of embarassement to come.


	3. Slip of the Mask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Vaas shows a glimpse of his true face. Run, Jane, run!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading :) and thank so so much for the kudos and the two comments, these made my day :)

The video does not come off the internet until the next evening. Not because Liza is intentionally trying to embarrass Jane, but because she was drunk when she posted it, and she does not remember posting it.

 

Jane goes nearly the full day without realising what's happened. She lazies around in the morning, nursing her hangover and enjoying the temporary feeling of being a normal party going girl nursing a hangover with her girl gang. She stays in bed, then moves to the couch, makes herself some pancakes... Until she accidentally catches a whiff of herself and decides to get in the shower and get moving.

When she leaves the bungalow at two in the afternoon to buy some milk, Jane crosses path with Oliver, looking lost as always.

"Hey," he says. "Just seen Vaas, he hasn't mentioned that video."

"What video?"

"The one from yesterday?"

Jane scowls in confusion and Oliver waves a hand.

"It'll be fine, don't think he's seen it and Liza can just delete it."

Jane gets to the shop, buys her milk, and on her way home she looks at her phone. She scrolls through Liza's latest pictures, sees a group selfie from the night before. She looks alright on it, cheeks are a bit red maybe but not that bad. Jane then plays Liza's stories, until she gets to the one Oliver must have been on about.

Oh.

Oh, that is bad. 

*

"It's not that bad," Daisy tries again, but Jane just groans and shakes her head. "He's probably not seen it."

"I'm so sorry," repeats Liza.

"And if he has," Daisy continues, "I'd just be chill about it. It's just funny, don't you think?"

"It's fine," Jane replies, again, but she is a bit annoyed, at Liza, at Daisy, and at herself. This, she thinks, is why you don't go out. You are not cool. You do not hold your drink. You are not chill.

Her phones pings, and the girls see Vaas' name before Jane can hide the screen.

'Have you ever seen a grown man naked?'

"Oh my god, what?!" Shouts Daisy, grabbing the phone and shoving it in Liza's face.

"No, no, it's not like that," Jane says, "he's quoting Airplane!, the movie? They're showing it tonight. At movie night."

Because Daisy and Liza are looking at Jane like she's grown an extra head, she takes the phone and messages Vaas back in front of them.

'Do you like movies about gladiators?'

He sends a laughing emoji, then sends: 'you still coming to movie night nena? You wanna grab some food after?'

"Is that in the film?" Liza asks, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jane shrugs at them but does respond straight away: 'yes, still coming. Not sure what time.'

'Can't you take a guess?'

She chuckles, recognising another line from the film. She looks at the clock.

'Not for another two hours.'

'You can't take a guess for another two hours?'

She laughs out loud and shakes her head before catching the other two girls' eyes.

"What? I like that film."

"Well," Daisy says, standing up and going to fetch something from her drawer. "Go, have fun, but take this."

It's pepper spray.

*

When she gets to movie night, Jane takes a moment to appreciate the surroundings.

The hotel has set up a huge screen (a white sheet pulled tight on some poles) on the beach itself, and so the backdrop of the cinema room is the sea itself and the moonlight rippling over it.

Chair, sunbeds, and the luxury canopy beds are set up facing the screen. Some people have chosen to sit on the sand.

Jane briefly wonders if Vaas is wanting to sit on a canopy bed, and her thoughts take an uncomfortable turn as she imagines what could happen between them on a bed at night at the beach.

She considers running away, but Vaas' voice booms across the beach.

"Hey, nena! Jane!"

He's sitting not too far away, on a big blanket set over the sand. He's waving at her with one arm, his other hand tapping the space next to him, on the blanket.

As she walks over, conscious not to trip in the sand, Jane takes in his appearance.

He's wearing another one of his Hawaiian shirts, this one orange, black and yellow. She stops just in front of him and sits as far from him as possible whilst still being on his blanket. She sees him notice that, but he doesn't say anything.

"Nice to see you," he comments.

"You too," Jane replies as casually as she can. He's looking at her white tank top and loose cotton trousers and she doesn't want him to tell her she looks pretty, "How are the fitness sessions going?"

He humours her, chatting away about the elderly and their shenanigans. Jane details his appearance. She's never been this close to him. Hell, she doesn't think she's ever been talking to him in real life, apart from the initial introductions on her first day at Rook. Texting was one thing, this is the real deal. His Mohawk is on point (who still wears Mohawks?), his scar is as gruesome as ever. His stuble is shadowing his square jaws. His arms are very muscly, shoulders thick. His looks are a strange mixture of goofy and frightening.

"...so I said no Gretchen, I wouldn't want to come inbetween you and Al. She still winks at me though, little vixen."

Jane lets out a snort, suddenly catching on to what he's been talking about. Emboldened, Vaas adds: "89 year old sex kitten."

Jane laughs, and Vaas just stares at her, smiling. 

Awkward, Jane shifts on her bottom and turns to the screen.

"So, Airplane, huh? Love that film. There's quite a few people here."

"Yeah. Hey I thought we could go for food after?"

"Sure."

Jane busies herself with detailing the other people around, until the film starts. She'd hoped that the comedy would help loosen her up a bit and help her interact with Vaas like a normal person, and thankfully it does just that. They laugh together at the jokes, Vaas unexpectedly loudly, which contributes to Jane's own hilarity.

Afterwards, they make their way towards the Bodega, the little Mexican food van nearby.

"I've never had Mexican before," she confesses.

"What?" He yells, doing a double take.

"Sorry," she laughs.

"Nobody is perfect," he tells her. "Don't worry, I'll choose for you. I will be your spiritual guide. You like spicy food?"

He picks her food for her and they go sit by a corner of the terrace, under fairly lights. It's kind of a romantic setting, and if it wasn't for how unglamourous it is to eat overfilled tacos, Jane would have started feeling awkward again.

Vaas is hyper.

He moves and talks constantly, and about 90% of what he says is either outrageous or downright hilarious. He's Jane's exact opposite, and yet she's actually feeling more and more at ease. She cannot remember the last time she's laughed this much.

"So what do you think of the Mexican, then?" He asks her, as she wipes her sauce soaked fingers on a napkin.

"Great," Jane replies. "I'd never had it, but it's delicious."

"You'd have it again?"

"Yep. 100%. Would have it any day of the week."

He nods to himself, then leans in and wriggles his eyebrows at her.

"What about the Mexican food?"

Jane coughs on her soda as the bubbles burn up her nose and she struggles to catch it all before it falls into her plate. She half chokes, half laughs as Vaas throws his head back and howls with laughter.

"I still can't believe you'd never had tacos." Vaas says suddenly, looking deadly serious. "That's fucking ridiculous, nena."

Oh yeah, and he swears a lot. Somehow where it would annoy her in anyone else, she doesn't take offence with Vaas.

"Sorry," she apologises again. "Do you like British food?"

He shrugs, caught off guard. 

"Yeah, I like it. I fucking love it. It's my favourite."

"You've had it before?" Jane is surprised. The thought of Vaas ordering an extra Yorkshire pudding with his Sunday roast seems completely ludicrous.

"No." His eyes bear into hers, the light in them suddenly hot and electric. "But I know I'm gonna love it. I know I'm not gonna wanna eat anything else after I've had it. I can tell." His finger goes up and taps his temple. He smiles at her, and her only. "Already dreaming about it."

Holy hell.

Is it... Is this... What's he saying?? Is this..is this flirting? Is this sexual tension? What the...?

Jane's cheeks start burning up and her mouth goes dry. She cannot hold his gaze any longer and she looks away, tucks her hair behind her ear and clears her throat and just doesn't know what the fuck she is supposed to say or do.

She needs to pull the fucking brakes on this thing. She needs to think.

"It's not that special," she stammers. "British food. You haven't missed anything. Not much there." She winces. What the hell are you even saying right now? "Hey um, so, Jason's brothers are coming soon, and they're all on about going skydiving. Do you know anywhere around here? Where they could go skydiving?"

His eyebrows rise up.

"You wanna go skydiving?"

"Not really," she admits. "But Jason and his brothers, and um, Daisy and all that, they all wanna go. Vincent said you know a lot about the islands, and where you can do activities and stuff, so I thought I'd ask."

"Which one is Vincent? The one with the specs?"

"Yes."

Vaas nods, and leans back into his chair, the air around Jane suddenly feeling cooler.

"Yeah I know where you can do skydiving." He says. "You got Vincent's phone number?"

"Yes," Jane pulls her phone out. 

"I'll sort it out with him." Vaas says. "Don't you worry about it." He starts counting on his fingers. "So you want Jason and his brothers, the two American girls, Vincent,..."

"I'll probably skip this one out," Jane laughs nervously.

"Yeah I would," Vaas chuckles darkly. "Americans get into crazy shit."

 

*

Vaas and Jane text each other every day for the next two weeks. They talk about films, and food. They go for a drink. He makes her laugh a lot, with his complete lack of appropriateness, and his energy. He must have taken pity on her though, because he doesn't try to flirt with her again, or at least not as aggressively as the whole British food conundrum.

They meet up for movie night again, and then one more time, two nights before all the others are going skydiving.

Jane has met Jason's brothers. The older one, Grant, is a soldier. Riley, the youngest, has just obtained his pilot licence. Grant and Daisy pretty much disappear off together at every opportunity, and Riley follows Jason around like his shadow. Vincent tries to ask Jane out on a date, and she very awkwardly declines, thanks, she's already going to movie night with Vaas. Vaas, who's been posting a selfie of them two together every time they've been going out.

Movie night comes.

They're playing Life of Brian, which Vaas miraculously hasn't seen. This time, they sit on the sand, with their backs resting against the edge of a canopy bed. 

Jane laughs at all the jokes, Vaas just scowling at the screen in confusion.

"This is some weird British shit, no?" He asks, and she laughs even more.

"Yeah, sorry it's hard to explain why it's so funny."

The wind has picked up that night, and Jane shivers. Without asking permission, and seemingly without noticing the little squeak that escapes Jane, Vaas puts his arm around her shoulders and pulls her flush against his side. After a moment's hesitation, Jane lets her head rest against his shoulder. 

He's so hot. As in, literally, there is so much warmth emanating from him.

She's conflicted. On the one hand, this is completely out of her comfort zone. On the other, so is living and working half way across the world, and this is the perfect time and place to try new things and redefine the comfort zone. She does like him. She is attracted to him. So why not?

His thumb is rubbing her arm, and Jane wishes he would just make the first step and lean in for a kiss. How could she get him to do that?

She shifts a bit, so her knees are folded and resting against his legs. His hold on her arm tightens ever so slightly, but he still does not fully take the hint. Jane reaches out and touches his hand, wrapping her own around it and giving it a squeeze. She looks up at him and sees him stare right back at her. He leans in.

His lips barely brush hers before someone clears their troat right next to them and she pulls away, startled.

"Hey Jane," says Vincent, looking at them.

"Hi." Jane sits up a bit, drops her hand, but Vaas leaves his arm on her shoulders.

"Vaas."

"Hermano." Vaas stares hard.

"Cool film."

"Bit British, maybe," Jane says, and Vincent chuckles.

For a split second, it looks as if Vincent is about to sit with them, but then he says "well, see you later" and walks away.

"He'd asked me to watch the film together," Jane explains to Vaas.

"Oh yeah? What did you tell him?"

"Uh.. That I was already going with you. I just hope he doesn't mind."

Vaas says nothing, but when Jane risks a look at him he leans in straight away and presses his lips to hers. 

An arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, Vaas lifts his other hand and places it on the side of Jane's throat, thumb rubbing softly, holding but not squeezing. One of her hands goes to wrap around his wrist, for safety. Not that she'd ever be strong enough to stop him. His large hand, placed like this, would have scared Jane, but at the moment she is too lost in the kiss to remember the comfort zone. He tastes of the tequila flavoured beer they've just had. His tongue searches hers as he depends the kiss, and Jane just follows his league, vaguely aware of the little moans that keep humming at the back of her throat.  
Her other hand travels up his chest and to his face, touching the rough stuble there.

This is Jane's first kiss. Jane is a virgin. And it's so good, she's getting carried away.

It's electrifying. His touch, his breath, his warmth, it's all so new and raw, and also very, very exciting.

She's not sure how, but soon she's half sitting on his knees, her arms around his neck, fingers in his Mohawk, and his hands are roaming her back and squeezing her leg and then one gets under her shirt. It brushes against her breast, through the fabric of her bra, just as his teeth nip at her bottom lip and Jane's breath catches a bit too loudly for comfort. She leans back a bit, trying to master herself, hoping he doesn't think she's some sex craved virgin. Which she kind of is, it turns out. Bloody hell.

"Fuck, I love those lips." He says, hotly, a thumb over the lip he's just bitten. Jane smiles and giggles like a fool. Her full lips had used to be another source of unwanted attention when she was a plump teenager. Now, she feels like she's proud of them. "And I can't fucking wait to take a closer look at those double Ds, I swear, nena." Jane laughs out loud. He's so insanely inappropriate. "Seriously, baby," he makes her lean back a bit and looks at her chest. "These are fucking wonders, ay, ay..!"

She laughs, embarrassed, outraged, entertained, and someone shushes them angrily.

Vaas shushes back, making Jane stifle her laughter with her hand, blushing furiously at the awkwardness of it all. The film is ending, and she slides off of his knees.

She gathers her things, refusing to look at the couple who walk past them throwing them a disapproving look.

"Don't be jealous, hermano," Vaas says. "Makes you age quicker."

He insists on walking her home, chatting happily the whole way, seemingly even more hyper than usual. When they get to hers, she climbs up a step to her bungalow and he pulls her down to him and kisses her again, which she welcomes, holding on to him. Once again she gets lost in it, moaning quietly, knowing she's probably going to regret being this 'easy' but not finding it in herself to push him away.

What if he asks to spend the night?

Thankfully, Jane is spared the need to find an answer to that, because someone yet again interrupts them. And it's not Vincent.

"Vaas."

The voice is rough.

Vaas pulls away but remains in Jane' s space, arms around her. He looks at the tall, muscly man who's appeared out of nowhere, in the dark.

"I'm busy, hermano." Vaas turns back to Jane and tries kissing her again, but for her the mood is broken. Who the hell is that guy?

"We need to get the shit ready."

"I'm fucking BUSY, hermano!" The outburst is so sudden, it makes Jane jump hard. She drops her arms from his neck. She's never heard him shout. He looks at her face, harsh. "Fuck, you see this, hermano? You ruined the mood. You scared her, YOU FUCK!!"

Jesus Christ, what even is this? Who is this??

Don't worry, there's Daisy and Liza and probably Grant inside, they'll hear him shout, they'll show up, Grant is a big man...

Vaas lets out an exaggerated sigh, and steps away from Jane.

"You know what, Carlos? You're right." He opens his arms towards Jane. "Sorry, nena, I gotta go. Got a few things to sort for that skydiving trip. You're still not going, right?"

"Um, no, I'm not."

"Ok. I'll see you soon, then, nena. I'm gonna be busy for a couple days, but I'll see you soon." He gives her a smile and a wink. "Dream about me." 

He walks away, following that strange, scary looking man into the night.

Jane stands there a while, completely stunned, and effectively turned off.

What on earth has she just seen?


	4. Just Peachy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which things start going wrong. Horribly wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading :) hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Not sure if I already mentioned it but I make no money out of this and I only own Jane. Don't own any of the films or songs mentioned in this either (but I recommend them).

"Embarrassed" does not even begin to cover how Jane feels about the night before. Or the whole two weeks or so that preceded it.

How could she have been so stupid?

She'd kind of prided herself in her ability to see through men and boys, perhaps a bit too well, hence her still being a virgin when all her friends of a similar age were...not.

And yet, despite all the warning signs, she'd compromised herself and just fallen right into some psycho's arms. Because there had been warning signs, obvious ones. The scar. His age. His sudden attention for her. Hell, the first time they'd even been out together he'd referred to wanting to have sex with her. The possessive kiss right after she mentioned another guy asking her out. His hand on her throat as they kissed... Vaas was so loud in his positive moods, so it made sense he'd be loud in his anger too, right?

His outburst the night before keeps playing again and again in Jane's mind, making her feel scared, and so bloody embarrassed. She's not going out with him again. Ever. 

Oh, how she wishes she'd gone for Vincent instead. She likes Vincent, too. He's normal. He's kind. He's open minded and soft spoken.

A part of her tries to offer some peace, saying that perhaps he just got annoyed, and yes, he can be loudly angry, but he's not actually violent, and he'd never hurt anyone, or yes maybe he'd hurt a man, an annoying man, but he'd not hurt her, not a woman, and hey wouldn't it be nice to feel safe, to have a boyfriend who'd know how to protect you... Her parents would scoff at her and her casually sexist ideas. What was the point of all those Krav Maga lessons they'd signed her up for, if she was going to dismiss her own abilities for a pair of big arms? 

Is she making a mountain out of a molehill?

No, no, if this was Liza or Daisy coming to her telling her about a guy like that, she'd say run, don't even try again, he's clearly not right in the head.

Oh god, she's so embarrassed.

At breakfast, Jane is terrified someone is going to mention hearing Vaas shouting, and so will ask about it. No one says anything, until Liza leaves for a shower and Jane remains with Grant and Daisy.

"Jane," Daisy starts, cautiously, and Jane knows immediately what's coming. "You went to movie night last night, right? With Vaas?"

"Yes."

"How did it go?"

"Fine," damn, her voice is too high. 

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Just...fine."

"Grant and I heard voices. We heard Vaas shouting."

Jane nods, feeling her cheeks redden with shame.

"I saw that he was shouting at some guy," Grant cuts in. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." 

"What happened?" Daisy asks, oh so kindly.

Have they seen her kiss him? Surely they wouldn't have been looking out the window before the screams, right? "I met Vaas at movie night again, and he insisted on walking me back. We were just...chatting, and this guy arrived, and asked Vaas to come and help him with the skydiving set up or something, and Vaas just started shouting. I'd never seen him angry before," she adds quickly, justifying herself. "I don't think I'll be going out with him again. Didn't know there was this side to him. Can't say I'm impressed." She forces a little chuckle out.

"Are you sure that's all?" 

"Yeah," Jane looks at Daisy in the eyes as she lies. After a moment, Daisy nods, and smiles.

"If he bothers you," Grant offers, "or doesn't let you..not go out with him again, you let me know. Ok?"

"Yeah. Thank you. I'm sure it will be fine." Even she can hear her voice shake.

Her phone vibrates in her pocket, and it's a kissing emoji from Vaas. She ignores it.

 

*

 

She doesn't hear from him, until the next day. Jane reluctantly decides to go wave everyone off on their skydiving trip, despite the fact that Vaas will probably be there.

They're all packing and taking selfies, and Liza complains that she forgot to get herself some fresh orange juice so Jane offers to go get her some. She goes to the shop, just as Vaas arrives at the meeting point with another man and starts counting heads.

Jane picks some organic pure orange juice for Liza and queues up, throwing nervous glances behind her.

"Hey," Jane jumps as Vincent appears next to her. "Oh shit, sorry, didn't mean to make you jump. You alright?"

"Fine yeah, sorry."

"No no don't apologise. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, sorry." Jane winces. "I mean, it's fine. You alright?"

"I'm just buying this," Vincent lifts the pack of cereal bars he's holding.

"I'm just buying this- this orange juice for Liza."

"Yeah I know, that's nice of you."

"So, uh, skydiving huh? How do you feel about that?"

"Sick to my stomach."

"Really?" Jane's eyebrows shoot up. "You seem really calm to me."

"I like to bottle up the hell out of things," he says. "Right now, I'm screaming inside."

They exchange a little laugh.

"Well, I wish I could hold it in as well. I'm not even going, today."

"Smart move. I'd have said no, but Keith called me a chicken."

Keith is the one who takes daily gym selfies, Jane remembers. She's once caught him throwing a look at her breasts before noticing her glasses and looking away. She's not impressed. Jane half wants to ask Vincent if he'd like to stay too, but her debacle with Vaas has successfully vaccinated her from dating for a good year, at least. 

She pays for the juice and waits for him to pay for his snacks. As they walk out of the shop, chatting timidly about what other nightmare activities Vincent has had to do for the sake of peer pressure and Keith's fragile masculinity, Vaas appears out of nowhere.

"Amigo," he greets Vincent, a bit too joyfully. "Nena." He adds, in a deliberately intimate tone of voice. "You coming jumping too? We can get real close on the plane."

"I'm just seeing everyone off," Jane can sense rather than see Vaas intending to reach and pull her to him. "Is the weather ok for it?" She babbles on, panicking, eyes up to the sky and shifting so it would be awkward for Vaas to grab her now.

"Is fine," Vaas says, not looking away from Jane. Then, his smile grows a bit stiff as his eyes start darting from Jane to Vincent. "You better hurry, amigo, don't want them to jump without you no?" Vaas extends his arm, gesturing for Vincent to leave.

"They haven't set off yet," replies Vincent, staying put.

Vaas stares at him in the eyes, hard, still smiling but in a frightening way. 

"Just go, hermano. I need to speak to my girl."

"Is she your girl? Not sure she's aware of that, man." Vincent lets out a little chuckle, and Jane cannot help but be admirative of his courage. Vincent is taller than Vaas, yes, but he's not muscly like him, and he's not got the same 'hard' look that characterises him.

"Come here, nena," Vaas makes to take Jane's arm and Vincent steps in front of her, hands up in the air. 

"Hey don't do that, man, let's just stay chill." 

Vaas laughs. In a completely humourless, unhinged, bloodthirsty manner. He takes one step towards Vincent.

"All ok there?"

Grant has arrived.

Jane releases a breath she's been holding for a bit too long. 

"Yeah, tough guy, we just peachy here," Vaas turns his attention to Grant, stepping into the soldier's personal space, looking into his eyes, smiling at him. Provoking him.

Grant stares right back, looking like he might rise to the challenge. Jane steps inbetween them.

"Vaas," she says, her hands on his arms, pushing him slightly. "Can I talk to you? Please?"

His focus shifts to her instantly and he lets himself be guided away, smiling softly at her. Once they are at a safe distance, Jane takes a step back, crosses her arms.

"How are you today?" He asks, oblivious to her tension. "I thought about you all night."

"Listen, I... I think it might be best if we just stay friends. For now. I mean, I know we kissed, but really we don't know each other very well and I think we might quite different, and I like hanging out with you but like...like I don't know if this is right. Yeah?"

It's so cringe worthy. Her thumb goes to her teeth and she watches him from under her lashes, waiting for an outburst, an insult, a scoff, mockery, anything, anything but the even wider smile that splits his face.

"I get it." He nods, softens his voice and leans in to speak to her. "You're scared."

Jane's eyes widen slightly. Does he really get it?

"I get you," Vaas insists. "You're scared of this." He's gesturing at the space between them. "You're scared of how intense this is. I was scared too, at first, but I know it's worth it. Don't worry, nena. You can follow me. I'll lead the way." He kisses his finger and presses it to her lips before she's even registered him move. "See you soon, baby."

 

*

 

They're due back at 9 that evening. Except they don't come back.

No one picks up the phone, no one rings or texts her.

It's the morning after now and still nothing.

Desperate, Jane texts Vaas: 'hey, do you know when everyone is due back? Thought they were coming back last night but no one is here and they haven't texted'

He replies instantly: 'don't worry about it. Can't stop thinking about you. See you soon' followed by another kissing emoji.

The next day, they all miss work. Jane goes to the police. 

They don't really take her seriously, instead suggesting her friends probably ended up partying all weekend and haven't charged their phone, or they've got no signal. She tries to tell them about Vaas, that maybe he's linked to it all, since he organised the trip, but the officer taking her statement laughs it off. Vaas, the guy who does the senior fitness sessions? He's a goofball. 

They log her complaint, offer her a tissue when she bursts into tears. That's it.

That evening, Jane returns home, alone, and looks into Daisy and Liza's rooms. They've left most of their stuff. Liza hasn't posted anything online since the trip. Something must be wrong. The last thing on social media is Jason filming himself as he jumps out of the plane.

Still no news from Vaas, either. He's alive, that much is sure.

She rings him.

He picks up after two tones.

"Hey," he purrs down the phone. "Nena. How are you?"

"Hi," keep it straight to the point. Cold treatment. You're not encouraging this. "Vaas, um, look I'm really worried. Daisy, Liza and the others still haven't come back. Did you - did you see them land?"

"Don't worry about it, baby, I told you it's fine. I miss you, nena, do you miss me?"

"I'm serious!"

Oh no, this is not good. Jane can feel her voice break, and the tears coming up. He must be able to hear it.

"I'm really worried! Where are they? Can you help me find them? I spoke to the police, but they haven't given me anything, they just logged it!"

"The police?"

The shift in his tone of voice is palpable. Jane gets scared. She freezes.

"You went to the cops?"

"...Yeah." She's sure she can feel his tension down the line, but Jane is so, so scared, and she has to know. "Did you- did something happen to them?" No answer. "Vaas?" Nothing. He is breathing down the line. "Vaas?"

"I'm here, baby. You stay where you are. I'll come help you find them. The police is no good, don't you know that nena?"

"Wh-what?"

"I'll help you find them. I'll call my guy at the skydiving thing, I'll find your friends. Don't worry baby. You just hang tight and think about me. I know I've been thinking about your lips, and them double Ds. I'll see you soon."

He hangs up.

 

Jane stands there, feeling the hot, moist air of the tropical night sticking to her skin. She remembers the first time she breathed it in, how it had felt like inhaling water. The air in the Lake District was always so cool and crisp.

She dials the police's number, is put on hold. Stays on hold for about ten minutes. In a split second, she goes from freeze to flight, hangs up, and she runs to her room to grab a few things, phone charger, pepper spray, jacket, her bag, and rushes to find her trainers. 

She's at the door, about to go, when she looks up in the dark to see a tall, strong figure walking towards her. The noise in the trees around is deafening. Has it always been this noisy? She's inhaling water. 

Jane turns around, hoping to make it to the back door, but another dark silhouette is blocking her escape. This one has a Mohawk.

"Don't run," says Vaas, all traces of goofiness gone, like they never even were there in the first place.

Jane runs.

She gets to the living room and climbs out of the window, and sets off in the dark, running towards the lights on the beach. She does not think to scream. Vaas is chasing her, she can hear him closing in on her. She hits something hard and falls to the ground. It's that big guy, the one Vaas was shouting at the other night. He grabs her arm and pulls her to her feet, and Jane hits him as hard as she can - which does strictly nothing - before Vaas' arm encloses around her, and his other hand shoves a strong smelling tissue on her face.

"Shh, shh, esta bien, nena," he whispers in her ear, as Jane passes out.


	5. In the Pirate Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ink Monster claims its first victims. Vaas gets romantic. It goes well for him (sarcasm alert).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! :)

There's dust in her nose, and shouts in the distance. Someone is sobbing.

Her wrists hurt, she cannot move her hands. She fights to open her heavy eyes.

Jane comes to.

"Jane?"

Daisy.

"Jane? You ok? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah." Her head is full of cotton wool.

Her hands are tied together. It's nighttime, the tropical heat a suffocating blanket. Daisy and Liza are there, tied up like she is. They're in a cage made of bamboo. Nearby, there are more cages. Here's Oliver, his nose a bloody mess. Riley, Keith. Jason and Grant, in another cage, next to Oliver's.

Men wearing red tops and army boots march around carrying assault rifles. There's screams of pain and terror in the distance. Fires. Dogs.

"What's going on?"

"We're hostages," says Liza, her voice half broken with cries. "We've been here days."

"They're ransoming us," Daisy says. She's not completely lost her cool - you can tell she's going to be a surgeon. 

Jane sits up against the side of the cage, her hands still tied tightly together in front of her. She's still dressed, in the same clothes she had on when...

"What happened?" She frowns. "Where are we?"

"We're on some island. These guys, these...pirates, they were there when we landed and they caught us and took us here. This is like their camp or something. They're going to ransom us to our families."

"Or they'll kill us," Liza says. "Or sell us."

"...Sell?" Jane looks around, catches Oliver's eye, then Jason's. "Where's Vincent?"

"He's dead," Daisy says. "His parachute didn't open." Daisy leans forward and returns Jane's horrified look. "It's Vaas, Jane. He fucking messed with Vincent's gear. He killed him."

"Why are you here?" Liza asks. "We saw Vaas bring you here, completely passed out."

"I told the police," Jane remembers. It feels like the explanation is more of an assumption than an actual memory. "I rang the police when you guys didn't come back. I asked Vaas about you guys, and I said to him... I told him I'd phoned the police." Her eyes fill with tears as she remembers the chase in the dark. "Him and some guy came and abducted me."

"He's their boss," Liza says. "We've worked out that much."

"He's completely insane." 

And here, for the first time, they don't mean insane as in what a weirdo, look at him with his weird hairdo and his gruesome scar and his pole dancing hobby, they mean insane, as in this is the man who will murder us all, and wear our ears as a necklace.

She hears him before she sees him.

His mad voice cuts through the thick of the air and the noise and the heat and gets straight to her heart, gripping it and holding it tight. In a blink, he is by her side.

"Jane," he's smiling through the bamboo bars. "Good morning, baby." It's pitch black out. She's not his baby. "How are you today?"

Jane doesn't answer, her throat too constricted for any sounds to come out intelligibly. 

"Huh?!" He shouts suddenly, causing her to jump and whimper.

"N-not good!" She cries.

He chuckles and looks around himself, hands open, encompassing the dogs and the pirates and the hostages and everything this hellish place has to offer. 

"What, is this not a good date spot? Are you not entertained?" He laughs more, looking at her, and Jane doesn't respond. Silence is probably her best chance, everything she could come up with would probably be the wrong thing to say. His smile falls a bit, he crouches down next to her. "Ok I know it's not nice here, just a joke. Come here, let's get you inside." 

He stands up and gestures for one of his men. They open the cage and Vaas reaches inside and grabs her, hauling her to her feet and flush against him. Jane cries and screams, completely panicked now, trying to kick him and shake him off. Daisy and Liza are shouting her name, and so are the other hostages, but the pirates point machine guns at them. Jane puts all her strenght and desperation into fighting him off, unsuccessfully. She manages an accidental head butt and he jumps, startled, before laughing it off.

He pulls her along, her legs struggling a bit. 

"Please, please," she begs, shaking her head, her eyes going over his hard face and the dogs and blood and all the guns, "please, please, please, no, please!"

He leads her through the camp, and up some steps, inside a room where there is a small, crackling TV, a fridge and a table with chairs. He sits her on a chair and she cowers on it, trying to make herself as small as possible. He turns away from her and starts rummaging around, returning with two beers, a plate of nachos and an actual fucking candle. He sits, then launches himself forward with a knife in his hand.

"Oh shit, almost forgot!"

He cuts her bindings loose.

Sitting back, he picks up his beer and lifts it towards her, waiting for her to toast with him.

"To us," he insists, but Jane just stares at him like he's grown an extra head. 

His jaw flexes and he sets the beer down a bit too roughly.

"What's your problem?" He asks, not looking at her

Jane's terror flicks to pure rage in an instant.

" _What's my problem?_ " She repeats. "Excuse me?"

He meets her eyes, and terror returns to Jane, moulding itself with her rage in a sickening swirl.

"Who are you?" Her voice is shaky. "Where are we? What are you doing to us?"

"Who am I?" Vaas says, sitting back, all traces of anger vanishing as he stares whimsically at the ceiling. "That's a really deep question, baby."

"Are you a criminal?" Jane clarifies. "Are you a slaver? Are you a murderer? Are you-are you going to rape me?"

Vaas takes a deep breath and lifts his hand, counting each of his answers on his fingers. "Yes - so is everyone, yes, yes, and no, because I won't need to."

He smiles, and starts picking at the plate of nachos.

"I want to go home."

"You can't do that, nena."

"Let us go."

"I can't do that neither, nena."

"What do you want?!"

He thinks carefully about his answer, and somehow comes up with:

"I wanna make love to you, every day, for the rest of our lives."

Satisfied with his answer, Vaas smiles at her, gives her a wink. When Jane just meets this with another stare of utter horror and astonishment, his confidence falters visibly and he crosses his arms defensively.

"Ok not today, I can see you're not in the mood, but maybe tomorrow or-"

"No!" Jane bursts out. "No! No, no, no! Just let me go! I don't want to be here! Just let us go! You- you psycho!"

In an instant she is off her chair and against the wall, his face so close to hers she can feel the heat coming from him, like he's feverish. He looks completely unhinged, with his bloodshot eyes staring into her wet ones. She doesn't realise she's crying until he says:

"Shh, shh, don't cry, do not cry," his hand is wiping her tears and he covers her mouth with his hand to quiet her sobs. "Maybe if I kiss you you'll feel better."

He moves his hand and tries to press his mouth to hers.

A scream coming from the camp freezes them both. It is followed by a series of shouts and barks. Vaas moves away from her and grabs a gun.

"Stay here," he says, walking towards the open door. A pirate arrives at the same time.

"Vaas! Something killed a hostage and two of our guys!"

"What? Tiger?"

The other just shrugs and runs off. Vaas walks to the threshold and stands there, staring into the chaos outside, with a hand holding a gun and the other stretched out behind him, to keep Jane where she is.

"What's going on?" Whimpers Jane.

"Probably some tiger or some sh-" 

He's turned his head towards her to answer her question, and something has flown past him and suddenly there's bits of wood everywhere as the door explodes right next to his head. Jane jumps out of her skin, but Vaas just swears then starts shooting at something outside. 

"Grant!"

Jane recognises Jason's voice, except it's far too serious and panicked to be his, Jason is always so laid back!

Vaas laughs.

Slowly, Jane approaches him, as if entranced, trying to catch a glimpse of the scene outside. Jason is crouching over a big red thing. 

"Holy shit, right in the throat!" Vaas laughs. "I got him right in the throat," he says to Jane, pointing at his throat with the hand holding the gun. "Fucking bull's eye." He turns back to Jason, sobbing over his dead brother's body. "What are you still doing here, hermano? Run, you chicken shit! Run Forrest, run!"

Jason sets off running into the dark.

"Let him go," Vaas says to his men. "Jungle will eat this white boy alive. Sort out the fences, can't have some fucking cat eating our hostages and our guys. Fucking pussycat. Which hostage did it get?"

"Blond kid."

"Oh shit, the girl?"

"No, the guy."

"Ah that's fine then. Wasn't worth shit. Fucking piss head."

He turns to face Jane and she looks down to her feet, feeling her shoulders shake uncrontrollably. Oliver is dead. Grant is dead.

"Come here."

The pirate grabs her arm and pulls her to him, flush against his side, an arm around her shoulders. He guides her onto the porch. 

"Look at this. Shit! It was fucking close!" He's pointing at the damage caused by the impact of the bullet on the door. "If you hadn't spoke to me, nena, I'd be dead. My head would be like a, like a, you know, like those watermelons shit with the elastic bands on and then they explode and shit... Have you seen those videos?"

Jane shakes her head.

"Just please let me go," she whimpers.

"No, no, nena, stop asking that. Pisses me off. You're gonna sleep in here tonight."

"No! No, no, no, please!"

"No?"

"No, I, please, I wanna sleep with my friends..."

"You wanna sleep outside in a cage?"

"Y-yes."

He's offended, she can sense it.

"Yeah well it ain't happening, baby, there's a fucking tiger outside. You'll sleep here with me. You can have my guest room." He gestures at a beat up sofa in front of a TV. His smile turns wolfish.

"You can come snuggle in with me when you've had enough."


End file.
